"What bothers me the most is what Target's closing says about my
neighborhood. Target says it is closing the store because it's losing
money, meaning the neighborhood doesn't support it. The truth is, it loses
money because it is not well stocked or well managed or both. Why would I
want to drive from from the Jordan neighborhood all the way to Crystal or NE
if I could get the same things at the Broadway Target? At the price of gas
these days, this does not make any sense.
As far as customers not feeling safe going there, I don't see why customers
would feel any safer at the Lake Street store. It's in a neighborhood with
crime problems similiar to the Northside. Yet, I don't hear anything thing
about that store closing. Are they next?
The problem is, by Target blaming the neighborhood for their losing money,
what chance do we have of getting a better business in there. They are
slandering a community unfairly at a time when the community is really
getting better with many positive projects slated to be started in the very
near future. That is what angers me about the whole thing.
Anne McCandless
Jordan"
As someone who has a spouse who works in the merchandise side of Target I can say that last Christmas, the Broadway store came in dead last in sales of Christmas related items (that is over 1200 stores...) I love Dyna blaming the buyers of Target for not targeting their "target market". Target, markets to 40+ year old women who make more than $40k a year. These folks do not typically use tools etc. that you refer to. This is what has separated and allowed Target to compete (or not compete) with Wal-Mart. Target adapted to a market niche and is following that trend - unfortunately it appears that strategy is not working in neighborhoods such as the northside.
It sucks that a community such as the Northside is losing such a vital asset to the community. I listen to Brandon's stories regarding his mother and that reinforces the fact that this is real and is close to home. At least you can credit Target for offering a similiar position (w/ no loss of pay - it would be very easy for them to pick the lower salaried employees while leaving those that have put in years of service behind.) I realize that many will not be able to commute to other stores - but at least there is that opportunity.
Dave Held
Bancroft - Resident
Downtown - Employee
